PCC Blog: Sixteen Days, Every Day: My Commitment to Ending Violence Against Women and Girls

The Global 16 Days Campaign begins today. For more than three decades, the world has marked the period between 25 November and 10 December by coming together to challenge male violence against women and girls. 

It is deeply regrettable that this campaign remains as necessary now as it was when it began 31 years ago. The first 16 Days set out a simple, vital truth: violence against women is a violation of human rights. That message opened a global conversation that changed laws, policies, and attitudes. But while we have come a long way, we are still living with the consequences of a problem that was never solved – only better understood. 

Today, the challenges have evolved and so has the work. I have provided long-term funding for specialist support services, making the argument for perpetrator focused prevention, and funded Project Bright Light an evidence-based initiative working with academic experts to transform how the force responds to domestic abuse.  

There is so much happening to support victims, but there is still more to do.  

Ending male violence against women and girls is not something women and girls can do alone. It requires men to take responsibility for their behaviour, to call out harmful attitudes, and to be part of changing the culture that allows abuse to persist. 

I am pushing further on male allyship, recognising that ending male violence against women and girls is not something women and girls can do alone. 

It requires men to take responsibility for their behaviour, to call out harmful attitudes, and to be part of changing the culture that allows abuse to persist. 

We are also facing new forms of harm. Digital offences, harassment, and the rapid spread of misogynistic content are shaping how young people see themselves and each other. These online spaces are not separate from the real world – they influence it, fuel it, and too often provide a pipeline into real-world harm.  

Over the next 16 days, I will be focusing on three areas where progress is essential. First, I will be starting conversations on and highlighting examples of male allyship – men who are actively challenging harmful attitudes and playing their part in creating safer communities.  

Second, I will be drawing attention to the fast-moving world of online safety, where misogynistic content and digital abuse continue to evolve. And finally, I will be pressing for robust enforcement of the measures in the Online Safety Act, calling for businesses and platforms to be held accountable for the harm their platforms enable. 

Ending violence against women and girls is not a campaign for 16 days. It is a commitment for every day. And while the scale of the challenge can feel heavy, I am continually inspired by the people in our communities who refuse to give up on creating a safer, fairer future.